Niles was a division point for the Michigan Central railroad. In the 1920's, the MC built two major hump yards here. It also had an ice house, roundhouse and other facilities. The hump yard was decommissioned and the yard downsized in the 1950's after the NYC upgraded the Air Line (from Jackson to Three Rivers/Elkhart) and Elkhart yard.
Image Info: Top, a view of the wrecking derrick X19531 which was stationed at the Niles Terminal. [Joe Barron Collection]. 2nd image, the turntable at the Niles Yard in the 2000's. [Tim Shanahan]; 3rd image, the old NYC Niles Ice House, taken in 2009. [Tim Shanahan]
1871. October. The main water tank building at the MC depot was partially destroyed by fire at noon today. The building caught from sparks of a passing engine. Loss $300 or $400. The baggage house adjoining was moved out of position and saved, and the wood house adjoining on the east was but slightly damaged. But for the fortunate abundance of water in the other two tanks the fire might have made serious work. [NREP-1871-1019] This was a building covering one of the water tanks. [NDEM-18o71-1021]
1872. We think the prospect for Niles for getting the round house and work shops of the MC, which are now located at Michigan City, are exceedingly good and almost a fixed fact of the future. Niles is most suitable and would equalize the distance between all points from Detroit to Chicago. There would be 93 miles between Chicago and Niles, 115 between Niles and Jackson, and 76 between Jackson and Detroit. [NDEM-1872-0127]
1875. May. Niles has been made the Western Division for the way freight trains of the MC road, and all such trains now make their long lay offs here. This will bring a number of families to Niles for residence. [SJH-1875-0515]
1875. The MC railroad is putting up a force pump north of the railroad bridge, when completed will furnish an abundant supply of water from the St. Joseph river. [NDEM-1875-0619]
1880. The MC ice houses are filled with ice 14 inches tick, shipped from Otsego Lake. [NWM-1880-0211]
1892. February. A steel truss bridge and a viaduct over and under the MC main line was funded in part by the city, which paid $3,400 and issued $8,000 in bonds to pay its share. The railroad yard, mostly east of the viaduct, contains nine tracks - the two main tracks laid with 80 pound steel rails of the Hawks pattern and the other seven laid with a somewhat lighter rail and a working capacity of 420 cars. Even this has of late been severely taxed by the heavy freight o the line. In this yard is also a brick repair shop and a large water tank. [NDS-1892-0218]
The following sources are utilized in this website. [SOURCE-YEAR-MMDD-PG]:
